Neoplastic disease states in humans are recognized throughout the world as being serious and oftentimes life-threatening conditions. These neoplastic diseases, which are characterized by rapidly-proliferating cell growth, have been and continue to be the subject of worldwide research efforts directed toward the identification of therapeutic agents which are effective in the treatment of patients suffering therefrom. Effective therapeutic agents can be characterized as those which prolong the survivability of the patient, which inhibit the rapidly-proliferating cell growth associated with the neoplasm, or which effect a regression of the neoplasm. Research in this area is primarily focused toward identifying agents which would be therapeutically effective in humans. Typically, compounds are tested for antineoplastic activity in small mammals, such as mice, in experiments designed to be predictive of antineoplastic activity not only in those animals but also in humans against specific neoplastic disease states.
Certain vinca alkaloids, antibiotics, antimetabolites and platinum coordination complexes are well known as effective antineoplastic agents [See Calabresi, P., and Chabner, B. A., "CHEMOTHERAPY OF NEOPLASTIC DISEASES", Section XII, GOODMAN AND GILLMAN'S, THE PHARMACOLOGICAL BASIS OF THERAPEUTICS, 8th ed., 1990, Pergamon Press Inc., Elmsford, N.Y.]. For example, vinblastine and vincristine are vinca alkaloids which are useful antineoplastic agents. Taxol is another vinca alkaloid which has activity against malignant melanoma and carcinoma of the ovary. Antibiotics which possess antineoplastic properties include adriamycin (doxorubicin), dactinomycin (actinomycin D), daunorubicin (daunomycin, rubidomycin), bleomycin, plicamycin (mithramycin) and mitomycin (mitomycin C). Methotrexate, cytarabine (AraC), azauridine, azaribine, fluorodeoxyuridine, deoxycoformycin and mercaptopurine are examples of antimetabolites with antineoplastic properties. Cisplatin (cis-DDP) and carboplatin are platinum coordination complexes which are useful antineoplastic agents. These agents are proven to be useful in the treatment of patients suffering from a variety of neoplastic disease states.
Certain polyamine compounds, such as N,N'-bis[3-(ethylamino)propyl]-1,7-heptanediamine, are also well known as effective antineoplastic agents [European Patent Application Publication No. 0 378 146, published Jul. 18, 1990, and European Patent Application Publication No. 0 311 068, published Apr. 12, 1989]. These polyamines are also useful in the treatment of patients suffering from a variety of neoplastic disease states.
It has now been found that in treating a patient afflicted with certain neoplastic disease states, conjunctive therapy with N,N'-bis[3-(ethylamino)propyl]-1,7-heptanediamine and a cytotoxic agent selected from the group consisting of an antineoplastic vinca alkaloid, an antineoplastic antibiotic, an antineoplastic antimetabolite and an antineoplastic platinum coordination complex, will provide a synergistic antineoplastic effect.
A synergistic effect is achieved when a greater antineoplastic effect results with a conjunctive therapy than use of either drug alone. One advantage of conjunctive therapy with a synergistic effect is that lower dosages of one or both of the drugs may be used so that the therapeutic index (TI) is increased and toxic side effects are reduced.